1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to the manufacture of cheese, and more particularly, concerns an apparatus and method for preparing a salted cheese curd loaf for subsequent pressing, brining and aging.
2. Description of the Prior Art
While natural cheese enjoys wide use by consumers in many forms, it is a relatively expensive product due in great part to the use of hand labor and the long processing time required to produce the cheese and develop the distinctive flavors by prior art methods. Under the circumstances, it is highly desirable to accelerate the production of natural cheeses and minimize hand labor, thereby decreasing the cost thereof.
The conventional, natural cheese processing and manufacturing processes involve the formation of a cheese curd from milk. Customarily, pasteurized milk is inoculated with a cheese starter culture of a selected microorganism, culturing the inoculated milk to develop the requisite flavor, adding rennet or another suitable coagulant to the cultured milk to form a curd, tabling or otherwise draining excess whey from the curd, cutting the curd and placing the curd in hoops or other suitable forms, usually in a cheesecloth wrapper to form a loaf, pressing the curd loaf to remove the residual whey, removing the pressed loaf and placing the same in a brine solution to develop the rind and provide the requisite salting of the cheese, removing the loaf from the brine and aging the brined loaf for a predetermined period of time to produce a cured cheese product which meets the appropriate standard of identity for the cheese being made.
These operations have been and, to a large extent, still are carried out by hand, which involves the considerable expense associated with hand labor and also introduces the undesirable factors of contamination by workers, non-uniformity of product due to human variations in procedures and the possibility of worker injury, and fatigue in the handling of cheese or curd at various stages of manufacture. Hand processing as traditionally practiced also results in a greater exposure to dust and airborne contaminants (microorganisms). Needless to say, the processes and procedures of the prior art are costly and lead to uneven results. The brining of cheeses, particularly associated with the production of hard cheeses, often requires periods of time of 21 to 22 days. Desirably, this brining time could also be advantageously shortened to thereby reduce costs.
While various automated procedures are known to the art, they are, in large part, directed to the making of so-called "cheese foods" or, if used with natural cheese production, have not been completely satisfactory.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,468,026 (1969) describes an apparatus and method whereby a crumpled cheese curd is formed into a rectangular pillar of curd under vacuum and the lower end of the pillar is severed to form a block of curd which is then compressed in a vacuum chamber and then wrapped in a moisture and air impermeable material and further compressed between rigid panels to form a completely sealed cheese block. The wrapped cheese curd block is then permitted to cure or age for the requisite period of time.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,606,683 (1971) describes an apparatus for continuously separating curd and whey wherein the mixture of curd and whey is introduced into an agitated decanting zone and liquid whey decanted from the top of the vessel. The curd continues downward into the vessel and enters a vertical pressing zone having a perforated wall for removing residual whey. The curd is then pumped from the bottom of the vessel for further processing, including collection in molds.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,217,411 (1965) describes an apparatus wherein curd is placed in a number of sieve tubes which are disposed to rotate with respect to a table surface and discharge into one or more molds on the table.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,032,877 (1962) describes a drainer for curd and the like comprising a cylindrical screen disposed within a container. Whey from a curd surrounding the cylindrical screen drains into the central aperture and out of the vessel.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,982,480 (1976) describes a draining column for curd having a generally perforate construction surrounded by a spaced jacket. Means are provided for equalizing the pressure of fluid generated by the column of curd and whey in the inner cylindrical chamber.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved apparatus and method for making cheese and, more particularly, a cheese curd loaf, which overcomes or eliminates many of the problems of prior art methods.
It is also an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus and method for preparing a salted cheese curd loaf for the preparation of hard cheeses which shorten the brine curing time required by known methods for making hard cured cheeses.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus and method for preparing a salted cheese curd loaf which provides for improved sanitary processing conditions and essentially eliminates human contact.
An additional object is the provision of an apparatus and method for preparing a salted cheese curd loaf which results in minimal handling of the product and improved safety and working conditions for the personnel involved in the manufacturing operations.
A further object of the present invention is an apparatus and method for preparing a salted cheese curd loaf which is semi-automated and capable of continuous operation.
Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent upon reading the following detailed description and appended claims, and upon reference to the accompanying drawings.